With the Christmas season fast approaching and winter drives upon us, we stumbled across research from South China University of Technology on in-vehicle listening and driving performance. 

The research showed music with a higher BPM (beat per minute) than 120 is linked to more dangerous driving conditions, where songs with a BPM can provoke a “stressful temperament” in drivers.

This got us curious as to what songs are safest for us to include in our Christmas playlist and which we should steer clear of. 

Methodology 

We analysed the beats per minute (BPM) of the most popular Christmas songs, after finding that faster-paced tunes could cause heightened stress, aggression, and distraction—making them dangerous to play while driving. 

Based on our research, we compiled a list of the most dangerous and safest Christmas songs to add to your Christmas playlist while you’re behind the wheel this festive season. 

The 10 Most Dangerous Christmas Songs To Drive To 

The most dangerous song to drive to in 2024 is Merry Christmas Everyone by Shakin’ Stevens. With 203 beats per minute, the research shows this song could put drivers at the greatest risk if they are singing along when driving this festive season. 

Andy Williams with It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year is the second most dangerous song for drivers to drive to, at 202 beats per minute. For Ariana Grande fans, experts are warning the third most dangerous song to drive to this year is Santa Tell Me, at 192 beats per minute.  

The Most Dangerous Songs To Drive To This Christmas
Rank	Song	Artist	BPM
1	Merry Christmas Everyone	Shakin’ Stevens	203
2	It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year	Andy Williams	202
3	Santa Tell Me	Ariana Grande	192
4	Wonderful Christmas Time	Paul Mccartney	188
5	Mistletoe	Justin Bieber	162
6	Underneath The Tree	Kelly Clarkson	160
7	Holly Jolly Christmas	Michael Buble	151
8	All I Want For Christmas Is You	Mariah Carey	150
9	Feliz Navidad	Jose Feliciano	149
10	Santa Claus Is Coming To Town	Michael Jackson & Jackson Five	147

The 10 Safest Christmas Songs To Drive To 

On the flip side, we also analysed songs with a slower BPM, which can help you stay calm and focused, reducing the likelihood of distractions or aggressive driving.

For those looking to create their Christmas playlist, the research shows the safest song to have on your playlist is Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee, at 67 beats per minute. 

The second safest song for drivers this Christmas with 73 BPM is The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) by Nat King Cole. In third place is Sam Smith at 75 BPM, with Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. 

The Safest Songs To Drive To This Christmas
Rank	Song	Artist	BPM
1	Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree	Brenda Lee	67
2	The Christmas Song	Nat King Cole	73
3	Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas	Sam Smith	75
4	Christmas Time (Don’t Let The Bells End)	Darkness	83
5	Santa Baby	Kylie Minogue	87
6	White Christmas	Bing Crosby	87
7	Sleigh Ride	Ronettes	92
8	Santa’s Coming For Us	Sia	93
9	Blue Christmas	Elvis Presley	95
10	It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like	Michael Buble	95

At One Sure, we’ve always been committed to safety but we also believe in making it fun. That is why we have created this light-hearted study this festive season to help drivers think about how their favourite Christmas songs may impact their driving. 

With research showing songs with a BPM over 120 can make drivers more stressed, our goal is to encourage drivers to be mindful of their playlist choices this winter.

So whether you are cruising to calmer ballads or getting into the festive spirit with upbeat tracks, we hope this study makes your winter journey a bit safer and a lot more enjoyable.